


She's Here...With Us...Always

by thecomebackkids99



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: 4x18, 4x19, Death, F/M, Love, Speculation, reactions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-01
Updated: 2016-04-10
Packaged: 2018-05-30 10:53:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6420916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thecomebackkids99/pseuds/thecomebackkids99
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Time of death...eleven fifty-nine." </p><p>Each team member - and extended team member - reacts to Laurel Lance's death. Some with anger, some with tears. Each one deals with the aftermath differently. </p><p>*Each of these will be short chapters, but they may get longer!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Oliver Queen

The nurse exited the emergency room, her shoulders slumped. “We did everything we could. I’m so sorry. Her time of death…was eleven fifty-nine.”

Oliver slid down the wall to the floor. “No.” This couldn’t be happening. Not Laurel. No, this had to be a bad dream. She couldn’t be dead. She had Lance blood in her. It was impossible for her to die. Last time he checked, she was just fine. Fighting alongside him. “No. She’s not dead.” His body shook, trying to wake from the trance. He’d had dreams like this before. When Slade drove a sword through his mother’s chest. When he came down to the foundry and saw Sara laying on the table with arrows…

He raised his eyes to look at the people surrounding him. Lance had his arms wrapped around Donna. Thea stood looking in the room, her expression blank. But her chin quivered and she turned on her heel and ran from the room. Diggle held Felicity.

“Not my baby. Oh, God. No, no, not Laurel!” Lance collapsed into a chair and covered his face with his hands. “Not Laurel. Not my baby. Please, no.”

 _Her time of death…eleven fifty-nine._ As Lance’s cries grew louder and the team crumbled around him, Oliver pushed himself up and stumbled into the room, despite the nurse’s protests. Laurel lay on the bed, the tubes and equipment pushed to the side. She looked asleep. Not dead. But he knew. He knew what the dead looked like. He knew how they looked when they didn’t see it coming. When they hadn’t a care in the world. And how they looked when they knew it was coming. Laurel saved Thea. His sister. She knew what would happen when she jumped in front of Malcolm Merlyn. The sword he wielded killed hundreds of people.

And now it had killed someone he loved. 

“Laurel…” his knees buckled. He leaned against the bed and brought his knees up to his chest. “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry.”

The door cracked open and Lance stumbled in. He came to Laurel’s side and clutched her hand. “It wasn’t your fault, Oliver.”

“Yes, it was. I got her involved in this, and―”

“No. No, Son, this wasn’t your doing. She started off this crusade because she wanted to be like her sister. But then she became her own hero. The Black Canary. You didn’t force her into this. She chose this life, and she chose to do it with you and the others. This is no one’s fault but Malcolm Merlyn.”

Sometime in the near future, he would process that statement. But right now, all he could see was Laurel’s blood on his hands. In fact, his suit, laying in the back of their van, still held her blood. Even the jacket he wore now did. And his heart certainly did. Oliver stood and came to stand across from Lance. “She…she died a hero. I’m sorry….” he swallowed another sob. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save her.”

With that, he ran out and down the hall, ignoring Diggle’s yell to come back. No, he couldn’t. Eventually he would. But not right now.

Just…not right now.


	2. John Diggle

“Anything I can do, Johnny?” Lyla sat down next to Diggle and grasped his hands. “I know how hard this is.”

Diggle leaned into his wife, trying to grasp at any strength that he or she had left. “Tonight I shot at my best friend. Only to learn he was right about my brother. And then we go to Iron Heights. Where one of my best friends gets stabbed through the heart by a man who deserves much worse than hell. I don’t think there’s anything you can do to help this.”

“Who’s taking care of funeral arrangements?”

“Felicity volunteered. You know her. She has to keep herself moving to keep from grieving. Lance is calling relatives.”

“What’s the story?”

“I don’t even know yet. Part of me hopes that he’ll tell everyone the truth. It would risk exposure, but at least everyone would know exactly what happened.”

“How’re the rest of the team?”

“No idea. Thea and Oliver ran out of the hospital. I haven’t heard from them since. If Oliver doesn’t show up soon, I’ll look in the old lairs. But Thea…”

“Laurel saved her.”

“And if she follows the lines of her brother, it might be hard to find her. Last time someone like this died, it was her mother. We all know how that ended up. You know…” he focused his gaze on little Sara’s room. A short-lived smile tinged his lips. “I joined Team Arrow because I thought I could help save Oliver’s soul. I didn’t join for the thrill. I just wanted to keep Oliver human. And over time the team grew. To Felicity. To Roy. To Sara. To Thea. And to Laurel. As each one of them came, and eventually left, I kept that mindset. I’ve helped keep Thea and Felicity safe. I even partook in some weird bring-the-soul-back-from-the-dead crap to save Sara. I made sure Roy would get out of that prison alive. I’ve never really…lost one of my teammates.” He gathered Lyla’s in his arms and dropped his chin to her hair, savoring the lavender shampoo she never failed to use because he loved the smell. But mostly, he treasured how she felt in his arms. So perfect. She was his light. The only he could come home to on nights like this and hold her until the hole in his heart healed again.

“I couldn’t stop her from dying. I just wish that I could have.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, Felicity's after Diggle! Please let me know what you think! I'm trying - trying - to channel the character's in their reactions. Diggle's the older, wiser one, and he would feel this way, while others on the team will blame themselves or each other.


	3. Felicity Smoak

_Time of death…eleven fifty-nine._ Those words rang in Felicity’s mind as she opened the phone book. She could easily look this up on her computer or tablet. But tonight, things would be done the old-fashion way. Like they were earlier, when they ignored team protocol and rushed Laurel to the hospital.

 _Carl Edward’s Funeral Home._ She closed her eyes after she read the name. Funeral home. Oh, how she had hoped and prayed she would never have to do this. Never have to look at this part of the book.

She picked up the phone and dialed the number. “Hello. This is Felicity Smoak. I-I’m…c-calling….sorry. I’m calling to schedule a funeral. For Laurel Lance. Yes, she passed away earlier tonight. Thank you. Yes, the expenses will be covered. There will be a good amount of people there. Yes, please schedule it then. Thank you.” She set the phone back down and took a deep breath. That was done.

Her elbow hit her computer mouse, bringing up countless folders. One of them was marked ‘Private’. She typed in ‘password’, and then hundreds of photos popped up. Ones from early on in their nightlife activities, when the only people who knew their secrets were the trio. The Original Gangtas. Then came pictures of the team with Roy. Sara. Felicity had even gotten both Oliver and Sara to smile in one picture.

The first picture of Laurel popped up. Felicity didn’t know when it was taken, but she had a smile on her face. Probably one of the first times she put the suit on. One came up with her and Cisco. How sad that team would be when they heard. Maybe Oliver would take care of that call.

Felicity stared at the photo until it blurred. Then it disappeared. All she could see now was Laurel’s body, laying out in front of her.

All she could hear was the call. The one she received six hours ago. Almost exactly. From Oliver.

“It’s Laurel. Felicity, you gotta get here now. We’re going to the hospital. It’s bad. I know you’re not a part of the team, but please. Please, come. Now.”

 _You’re not a part of the team._ She wasn’t. She _left_. And then her best friend died. Because she wasn’t there. Because Oliver’s head hadn’t been in the game. Thea’s wasn’t. Laurel’s wasn’t. Dig’s wasn’t. No one’s was, because she hadn’t been there to help them.

She let out a sob as the truth dawned on her: if she had been in her position tonight, Laurel might still be alive.

“Oh, God. Laurel…” she dropped her head to her desk and allowed her pain to take over her body. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry!” She stayed that way, her tears soaking all of her papers, until nothing more could be cried. She rubbed her eyes and stared at the computer. Laurel had been brought in as the Black Canary, and she died as Laurel Lance. Therefore, she deserved to be honored and remembered as both. A hero in the darkness, and one in the light.

She could never apologize again to her friend on this side of Heaven, but she could give her one last apology that would somehow - someday - help her to forgive herself. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well...that episode was rough. It was awesome, and beautiful, but oh, I bawled at the end. I've sometimes disliked Laurel, but they gave her a good farewell. Props to the cast for doing an amazing job.  
> I feel like Felicity will start out blaming herself and then gradually transition into blaming Darhk and Malcolm. Laurel didn't die protecting Thea, but because it's my head cannon, etc., I'm going to keep it that way. :)  
> Next up....Thea's!!! (My favorite so far.) I'm also writing Roy's right now.


	4. Thea Queen

Thea didn’t stop driving until she came to the cemetery. She parked the bike outside the gate and scaled the wall. The flashlight flicked on after several attempts. Using its dim light, she weaved her way past the stones until she came to the one she needed to see.

“Hi, Mom.” She dropped to the wet, muddy ground and crossed her legs. “Laurel died tonight. Malcolm….dad….whatever name he deserves…killed her. He was….he was trying to kill me, Mom. He had his sword ready to run me through. It was Slade all over again. The sword…and someone standing up and sacrificing herself to save me. This time it was Laurel. It shouldn’t have been. You’d think being saved once would be enough. I was ready to go. Ollie woulda missed me. But…but then I would see you again. And Dad. My real dad. But then Laurel jumped in front of me.” She put her hand on the grave and sobbed. “I’m tired of that, Mom. I didn’t want another person dead because of me. It’s not fair! You should be alive. And Laurel should too.”

Her cries took over then, and she slumped to the ground. The dirt got into her mouth and her eyes, but she didn’t care. She didn’t feel the rain pouring down on her. She didn’t feel the tears washing down her cheeks.

All she could feel was the pain of her heart ripping into a million little pieces. It had already been pulled into a thousand. Soon it could become trillions. Why did it always seem to be that way? The Queen and Lance family had gone through more tragedy than what was fair. She didn’t have the heart to think about how much the Smoaks and the Diggles had suffered as well. Right now, all she could see was the first time she met Laurel and Sara. Oliver brought them home for dinner. They’d been twelve or so. Sara a little younger.

She was four. And for some reason she could still remember Laurel coming up to her, a huge smile on her face.

_“You must be Thea. Ollie, she’s not a devil. Look at how sweet she is!”_

_“Sweet? No, not sweet. She’s a demon. Don’t be deceived by her curly hair.”_

_“Pfft. Don’t listen to him.” Laurel squatted down closer to Thea’s height. “I like you. I’m Laurel, and this is my sister Sara. Since your brother here doesn’t seem to appreciate your adorableness, we’ll be your big sisters. Right, Sara?”_

_“Right. Maybe Ollie needs glasses.”_

_“I do not!”_

Despite the darkness surrounding her, a giggle escaped Thea. That began the many confusing relationships with the Lances. But even after Oliver cheated on Laurel, basically got Sara killed, came back, and failed to get back together with either of the girls, Thea still loved them. She mourned for her father and her brother when the gambit went down, but she cried for Sara too. When Tommy died, she provided Laurel with support, and did her best to cheer her up by telling her mostly made-up stories about the Queen family.

She herself had a hand in killing Sara for the first time. Lance arrested Oliver. And now her brother’s ex-fiancée’s mother was dating Captain Lance. In short, Thea loved the Lances. All of them. She knew they loved her. And Oliver. Even if he had been the reason for so much pain.

And now one of them sacrificed their life.

Laurel sacrificed her life for the girl who’d thrown her own life away after her father and her brother died. The one who criticized her brother’s every move when he came back. The one who believed Slade Wilson more than her family. The one who never got to tell her mom that she forgave her. The one who _killed_ Sara.

Laurel sacrificed her life for that girl.

For Thea Queen. And for that, she realized as she pushed herself up, kissed the gravestone and trudged back to her bike, she was grateful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like this! :))) Thea's was the funnest, yet the saddest to write also. I feel like she loves Laurel so much, and now she's lost her. Just like she's lost so many others. Anyways, up next is Captain Lance!

**Author's Note:**

> Next will be Felicity's! :)


End file.
